“Hello. I know you, don’t I?” she asked.
“We’ve met,” Sunny said. “I’m one of the dragonets.” That was all she had to say. “Dragonets of destiny” didn’t sound right to her anymore, not since she’d found out the truth about the prophecy. She wondered briefly what would happen if she just told the SandWing sisters that the prophecy was false.
Then they really wouldn’t listen to us, she thought. We’d have no chance of making this work. We have to let them believe it, at least for now.
“Oh, of course, the weird-looking SandWing,” Blaze said. “Right. Which necklace do you think looks better on me? I’ve always liked rubies, but these emeralds are smashing, too, right?” She held out two gem-studded necklaces, draped sparklingly across her claws.
“Blaze,” Sunny said. “Do you want to go home?”
The SandWing princess looked around, blinking. “Aren’t I home?”
“This is a dream,” Sunny said patiently. “I mean, really home. Home to the stronghold and the desert, to sand and roasted lizards and warm sunshine every day.”
“Oh my,” Blaze said with a wistful sigh. “I remember my rooms in the stronghold. They were so big and pretty, with tall windows on three walls. I really do look my best in full natural sunlight, you know.” She spread her wings and swished them gracefully around, admiring them.
Sunny managed not to roll her eyes. “So come to us. Don’t keep hiding in that cold, dark fortress. If you come to the stronghold, we’ll end this war and you can go home.”
“What?” Blaze said, tilting her head. “Right now?”
“The third midnight from tonight,” Sunny said. “Didn’t anyone give you our message?”
“No one’s said anything about a message,” said Blaze. “From the dragonets of the prophecy! How could they keep something like that from me? Well, I am offended.” She thought for a moment, then brightened. “Oh! So you did pick me!”
“Well, wait,” Sunny said. “We haven’t picked any of you yet. We —”
“Right, of course, you haven’t announced it or anything, but you’re going to pick me. The only way I can go home, after all, is if my sisters are dead. Oh, how lovely! I knew you would choose me; I’m very nice. And doesn’t everyone want a beautiful queen?”
Not at all, Sunny thought. “We’re really looking for a peaceful outcome,” she said. “That’s our goal. And then whoever becomes queen —”
“I’m going to order a new bracelet to celebrate!” Blaze declared, jumping up and nearly dancing around Sunny. “And a crown! Of course I need a crown! Oh, now I really have to decide, rubies or emeralds? I suppose I could have two crowns! Or lots and lots of crowns! I’m so excited!”
“Blaze, stop,” Sunny said desperately. The princess wasn’t listening to her at all, and Sunny didn’t want to lie to her, or make her show up under false pretenses. “The important thing is that you be there at the stronghold. And then we’ll figure out who should be queen. It might not be you. Do you understand?”
“Glacier is going to be pleased, too,” said Blaze, talking right over Sunny. “I’ll have to convince her to let me go, but I can win arguments when I really want to. I’ll tell her there’s a new crown in it for her, too. I think she looks best in sapphires, naturally.”
“So you’ll be there?” Sunny said. “Even knowing you might not be queen when it’s all over?”
Blaze was already swanning back to the still pool. “You can live in my palace if you like!” she called back to Sunny. “I could give you a really important job, ooo, like helping me get dressed in the morning! Sometimes it takes me simply hours to choose the right anklet.”
“Midnight at the stronghold!” Sunny cried after her. “Three midnights from tonight! That means not tonight, not tomorrow night, but the night after that. Will you remember? Will you count right?”
“Queen Blaze!” sang the SandWing princess as she lifted into the air. “Doesn’t that sound pretty?”
Oh, dear, Sunny thought. She stepped out of the dream and stared into the blackness all around her.
Will Queen Glacier listen to her?
Will she be there?
What if all of this falls apart and we fail?
She gripped the dreamvisitor tightly in her claws.
That’s not an option. If Blaze doesn’t show up, I’ll fly to the Ice Kingdom and drag her back myself.
In four days’ time, either the war will be over … or we’ll all be dead.
Night had fallen, and the sky was full of dragons.
That was the first thing Sunny noticed when she stepped out of the tunnel onto the desert sands. The air crackled with the sound of wingbeats and the smell of fire. Dragons soared overhead like a million bats, sinuous shapes silhouetted across the moons.
It was time. This was the night. All three SandWing sisters would be in the same place for the first time since the war began.